2911) "Sakura", The Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival 2023, Japan: A Cherry Blossom 7-piece Proof Coin Set with Medal minted by the Japan Mint: Date/Year of Coin set issue: 2023:
The 7-piece Coin set Display with the Reverse of the Silver Medal
The 7-piece Coin set Display with the shipper
Each spring, Japan celebrates its cherry blossom viewing festival known as "Sakura".
It is a time of white-and-pink cherry blossoms bursting across the county that cover the ground underneath the trees like a layer of snow.
This is an incredibly important part of Japanese culture, and dates back nearly 1,000 years.
The significance of Japan’s reverent devotion to cherry blossoms goes back several centuries, as does the tradition of “Sakura-no-toorinuke,” which means “walking through the cherry blossom.”
To observe this tradition, each spring, the public walks along and appreciates the fleeting beauty of the flowering trees.
Cherry Blossoms In Japanese Culture:
The significance for Japan’s reverent devotion to cherry blossoms goes back several centuries.
For the Japanese people, cherry blossoms represent the fragility of life—a poignant reminder that life, while very beautiful, is also tragically short.
The Japan Mint has long participated in this popular tradition both by opening up its grounds filled with a variety of flowering cherry trees and with the release of its annual Cherry Blossom Viewing Proof and Uncirculated Sets, which can be hard to find outside of Japan!
The festival takes place all over Japan, with more than 1,000 locations hosting celebrations—and at many of these locations, visitors can secure special Cherry Blossom Viewing Proof Coin Sets from the Japan Mint.
The Coin Sets:
Since its inception in 1883, the Japan Mint's Cherry Blossom Viewing has enjoyed lasting popularity as one of Osaka's best-loved spring traditions.
This year too the Japan Mint is releasing the 2023 Cherry Blossom Viewing Proof Coin Set to commemorate this traditional event.
These sets contain the six circulating Japanese coins ranging in denomination from 1-Yen aluminum coin all the way up to the 500 Yen nickel-brass coin.
In addition, each set also contains a colourised medal struck in 20 grams of highly pure 92.5% Sterling silver.
This beautiful medal measures 35 mm in diameter and features the "2023 Blossom of the Year, the Shogetsu".
“Shogetsu” means “Moonlight on the Pine Tree” in Japanese and is also known as the "Blushing Bride Flowering Cherry Tree.”
Perhaps the image of the lovely young woman is of a bride dreaming about her upcoming wedding.
The Medal's Obverse is in a laser-frosted satin finish that shows the blossom’s pink-and-white petals.
The specifications of the Coin Set are:
Country of issue: Japan; Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination/Face Value: 1.00 Yen, 5.00 Yen, 10.00 Yen, 50.00 Yen, 100.00 Yen, 500.00 Yen; Metal Composition: Copper-Nickel - (CuNi), Aluminum, Brass, Bronze; Purity: Mixed: Weight: Various*; Diameter/Size: Various*; Coin Quality: Proof (P) + Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Mint: Japan Mint; Mintage: 15,000 (Proof) + 45,000 (Brilliant Uncirculated) Sets + with One-Year-Only Design Medal.
500-Yen Bicolour Clad Coin (Nickel-Brass, Cupronickel, and Copper)
*100-Yen Cupronickel Coin
*50-Yen Cupronickel Coin
*10-Yen Bronze coin
*5-Yen Brass Coin
*1-Yen Aluminum Coin
*4.3-gram Silver Oriental Zodiac Medal Year of the Rabbit Medal -Only in the Uncirculated Set
*20-gram Silver Blossom of the Year Medal—Only in the Proof Set
* Iridescent Color Shining Technology:
A processing technology used to create an iridescent shine on a metal surface using interference of light reflected from microgrooves engraved on the surface. The surface shines in different colours when viewed from different angles.
The Set includes:
An explanation sheet (English/Japanese),
A leather display case,
A paper slipcase featuring the Blossom of the Year, Shogetsu.
The Silver Medal:
*The Obverse of the silver medal features the design of the Blossom of the Year, Shogetsu, in full color. Its name combines the Japanese characters for "pine tree" and "moon".
The Reverse shows a moon nymph and a pine tree with a robe hanging from it, as told in the folk tale of the Robe of Feathers, depicted in relief.
- Each set will come sealed in a leather display case that folds out to form a triangular display.
- Each set includes six of the primary change coins issued by Japan, which boast unique and cultural designs that are distinctly Japanese, available with either a mirrored Proof or satiny Brilliant Uncirculated finish. Each set includes a one-year-only non-denominated medal.
- When one purchases the Proof Set, one will receive a 20-gram Silver Medal celebrating the “Blossom of the Year,” complete with vivid pink colourisation.
- When one purchases the Uncirculated Set, one will receive a 4.3-gram Silver Oriental Zodiac Medal celebrating the 2023 Year of the Rabbit.
- Both the Proof and Uncirculated Mint Set are packaged in their Original Packaging from the Japan Mint, which appropriately includes beautiful illustrations of cherry blossoms in bloom.
- Although 45,000 Uncirculated sets were authorised by the Japan Mint, at most, 1,092 sets will be available overseas. The mintage of the Proof Set is even smaller, with 15,000 of these sets being authorised and ONLY 289 sets available overseas.
- If one has never had a chance to “walk through the cherry blossom,” these sets from the Japan Mint might be the next best thing!
Image of the Blossom of the Year, "Shogetsu"
Shogetsu is a famous variety of cherry tree found on the banks of the Arakawa River in Tokyo, which was a famous cherry blossom viewing spot during the Meiji era.
The flowers are initially damask pink, gradually turning white, and eventually the dark red at the edge of the flower becomes more prominent. It has about 25 petals and one or two leafed pistils.
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"A VERY interesting and informative post. Thanks for sharing."
Thank you so much Khanna sahab.
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